DIP issues passport to
militant outfit member

DEEPAK ACHARJEE, Dhaka

The police headquarters has informed the home ministry that the Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP) issued a machine-readable passport (MRP) to a member of a militant group without a police verification report. The MRP was issued to Md Zahidur Rahman, an active member of the banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangle Team (ABT) who is also a fugitive, sources in the police headquarters and the home ministry said.

Passport number BH0110979 was issued to Rahman on July 28, 2015. Its tenure will end on July 27, 2020, the sources added. Additional Deputy Inspector General of intelligence and special affairs at the police headquarters Md Haider Ali Khan recently dispatched a letter informing the secretary of the home ministry’s Public Security Division about the matter.

Following receipt of the letter, the Public Security Division sent it to the home ministry’s Security Services Division, which then forwarded the letter to the DIP, asking the passport issuer to cancel Rahman’s passport.

A senior official of the Security Services Division told The Independent that they had already asked the DIP to cancel Rahman’s MRP and inquire why the passport was issued without a police verification report.

Speaking with The Independent, a DIP official mentioned that anyone who already held a passport did not need to seek police verification for reissue. “Yes, we will cancel the passport and the passport holder will be blacklisted,” he said.

“Maybe Rahman went abroad five years earlier and the

authorities concerned did not identify him as a militant at the time. That could be why he got a passport,” said Md Haider Ali Khan. “It would have been impossible for Rahman to leavethe country had the authorities been confirmed his identity,” he added.

The senior police officer also said that they may seek cooperation from the Interpol to bring him back, if necessary. “He will also be blacklisted and his passport shall be cancelled,” he added. Sources in the DIP revealed that Rahman had collected the MRP from the Bangladesh mission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He applied for it on July 1, 2015.

During the application, Rahman, son of Jafor Ahmed and Meherun Nessa, named Sumaira Siddiky as his spouse. The address he listed was House 13, East Merul Badda, Road-2, Ward-1, Nimtala, Gulshan, Badda, Dhaka. It is alleged that some criminals and members of militant groups fled the country by obtaining MRPs.

DIP issues passport to
militant outfit member

DEEPAK ACHARJEE, Dhaka

The police headquarters has informed the home ministry that the Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP) issued a machine-readable passport (MRP) to a member of a militant group without a police verification report. The MRP was issued to Md Zahidur Rahman, an active member of the banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangle Team (ABT) who is also a fugitive, sources in the police headquarters and the home ministry said.
Passport number BH0110979 was issued to Rahman on July 28, 2015. Its tenure will end on July 27, 2020, the sources added. Additional Deputy Inspector General of intelligence and special affairs at the police headquarters Md Haider Ali Khan recently dispatched a letter informing the secretary of the home ministrys Public Security Division about the matter.
Following receipt of the letter, the Public Security Division sent it to the home ministrys Security Services Division, which then forwarded the letter to the DIP, asking the passport issuer to cancel Rahmans passport.
A senior official of the Security Services Division told The Independent that they had already asked the DIP to cancel Rahmans MRP and inquire why the passport was issued without a police verification report.
Speaking with The Independent, a DIP official mentioned that anyone who already held a passport did not need to seek police verification for reissue. Yes, we will cancel the passport and the passport holder will be blacklisted, he said.
Maybe Rahman went abroad five years earlier and the
authorities concerned did not identify him as a militant at the time. That could be why he got a passport, said Md Haider Ali Khan. It would have been impossible for Rahman to leavethe country had the authorities been confirmed his identity, he added.
The senior police officer also said that they may seek cooperation from the Interpol to bring him back, if necessary. He will also be blacklisted and his passport shall be cancelled, he added. Sources in the DIP revealed that Rahman had collected the MRP from the Bangladesh mission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He applied for it on July 1, 2015.
During the application, Rahman, son of Jafor Ahmed and Meherun Nessa, named Sumaira Siddiky as his spouse. The address he listed was House 13, East Merul Badda, Road-2, Ward-1, Nimtala, Gulshan, Badda, Dhaka. It is alleged that some criminals and members of militant groups fled the country by obtaining MRPs.